As we continue to live through a 24-hour news cycle that moves at breakneck speed from one international conflict to the next, the Iraq War can feel like a distant memory. Helen Benedict’s The Soldier’s House (Red Hen Press; 223 pages) offers a poignant reminder of the devastation rendered by a senseless war that killed and displaced millions, which was promptly shelved in our memories while our politicians push forward into the next ill-advised conflict.
The Soldier’s House opens with loss, both tangible and symbolic.